Cosmopolitan India 201709

24 COSMOPOLITAN SEPTEMBER 2017 FOR MORE GREAT STORIES, VISIT COSMO.IN

BestTrainerEverrr1

129,366 likes

BestTrainerEverrr1 This #cleanse will

#detox your #hormones

Buy_buy_bellly23

21,455 likes

Buy_buy_bellly23 OMG this bar tastes

so good, you’d never know it’s #healthy

fitgirlevery1luvss7

17,892 likes

fitgirlevery1luvss7 Regram if you’re diet-

ing for a booty like mine! #datass

exercize__guru486

24,607 likes

exercize__guru486 Eat this smoothie

and drop lbs today—I swear! #dietgoals

upfront

The Insta Diet Trap

By:

COURTENEY RUBIN;

Photographs:

GETTY IMAGES AND

SHUTTERSTOCK.COM

(4),

Photo

Illustrations:

CREATED BY

COSMOPOLITAN

AND DO NOT DEPICT REAL INSTAGRAM ACCOUNTS

SEDUCTIVE BUZZWORDS

C

hances are, your Insta

feed has at least a few

Lycra-clad stunners

in it. Social-media fitness stars

have been steadily growing in

popularity; the top five alone

boast a combined estimated

37 million followers. Some are

legit trainers, but super-flat

abs don’t necessarily indicate

credibility when it comes to

dispensing diet advice.

Despite that, lots of women

are eating up the info, often

paying upward of `10 ,000 for

meal plans and recipes.

Because if a fitness pro looks

that hot, she must know the

keys to weight loss, right?

That type of reasoning

comes from a concept called

the Halo Effect—when we

take someone’s success in one

area and apply it to another.

It’s why many people trust

celebs for medical advice and

why, yep, a tonne of us take

whatever fitness stars say as

wellness gospel. Problem is,

these women are rarely

nutritionists and may be

doling out unhealthy tips, says

Marjorie Nolan Cohn, RDN, a

national spokesperson for the

Academy of Nutrition and

Dietetics. She reviewed two

popular social stars’ diet plans

for Cosmopolitan and deemed

both lacking—especially in

calories, which can, ironically,

lead to weight gain in the long

run. Now, we’re not saying to

go on an ‘U nfollow’ spree.

But if you spot any of these

diet-related traps in a ‘guru’s’

posts, save your money, and

be skeptical about adhering to

her eating advice.

Alkalinity! Hormones! Metabolism! “I call

this scienceploitation,” says Timothy

Caulfield, a health law and policy expert

in Canada. Such terms sound

respectable, but they’re often followed by

science-free advice. Like, alkaline diets

claim to curb the gut’s acid production,

thereby preventing arthritis, even cancer.

But all food is acidic in the stomach, then

neutralises naturally in the intestines.

Women rate meals as healthier when

they come from slimmer bloggers, says

a study in Health Communication.

But size ≠ expertise. Check credentials,

says Marjorie. ‘Guru’ and ‘Expert’ sound

impressive but say zilch about training.

Diet advice should come from a dietitian.

Look for RDN, CDN, or LDN, which

means your pro has a degree in nutrition

and has passed a national exam.

A zillion followers is awesome, but not

necessarily authoritative. Peruse social

stars’ connections. Do licensed health

pros follow them and ‘Like’ their diet

content? Support from colleagues can

indicate legitimacy. Now, scroll through

the comments. Does she engage

thoughtfully? Inflated influencers tend to

have fights, not debates, says Timothy.

Some posts are so well staged that

they look casual...but are really sales

pitches for products the pro is paid to push.

Transparency is key. Posts like these

should be tagged #Sponsored. Remember,

even certified trainers aren’t taught how to

vet the safety of herbs or supplements.

“They may have good intentions—just

within their scope of expertise.”

ASSUMED QUALIFICATIONS

LOTSA FANS,

NO PEERS

TRAP

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PRODUCTS! PRODUCTS! PRODUCTS!

Their bodies—not to mention their uplifting quotes—are beyond motivational.

But that doesn’t mean social-media phenoms should inspire your diet.

The Insta Diet Trap

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